


Winter Evergreen

by Ulan



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Holidays, M/M, Rivendell | Imladris, Third Age, Tolkien Secret Santa 2017, Winter, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 14:39:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13125783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ulan/pseuds/Ulan
Summary: Erestor is in trouble: it is Yule, he is in love, and it is all rather inconvenient, especially with Glorfindel looking and acting the way he does.





	Winter Evergreen

**Author's Note:**

> For [doodlinglisy](http://doodlinglisy.tumblr.com), who asked for Glorfindel/Erestor and a winter scene. I have been such a fan of her charming illustrations that I was thrilled to have been given her as a recipient. So to doodlinglisy, I very much hope you like this story! :)
> 
> For the winter feast, I opted for Yule as the English equivalent for this story, since I think the elements that Elves would celebrate most closely match that of Yule.

Erestor sighed. 

His reflection frowned back at him from his bedroom mirror, but he could not really help that. Dubiously, he looked down at himself and the elaborate robe he was wearing. It was one of his more expensive robes that he used for formal parties, a dark blue thing trimmed in silver and some gemstones reminiscent of stars against an evening sky. It fit him well still, despite that he had not worn it in much too long a time; it hugged his chest and waist in the way it was supposed to, and flowed down like smooth waterfall to his feet. 

“There, you see? This is much, _much_ better!” 

Erestor let his gaze flit over his shoulder to Lindir, who was standing behind him. “It is too much,” he informed the minstrel.

“Nonsense!”

Erestor, in fact, had been all ready for dinner earlier. Sure, it was the night they were to celebrate Yule with the rest of the household, but it was not as if he had merely been wearing plain house clothes. It was a decent, respectable set of robes, more than was his usual, although perhaps not as flamboyant or festive as Elves like Lindir would choose to wear on such occasions. 

Lindir, clearly, was of a different opinion. He had caught Erestor on his way to the dining hall and immediately cried out a horrified, “What are you _wearing_?” before ushering the other back into his rooms, demanding he pick more appropriate clothes. 

Erestor asked him why it was, for it was not as if Lindir cared what Erestor wore each year. Well.. no, he actually did, judging by the quips he had thrown Erestor over the years, but he never made him change. Perhaps it was different this year because he was finally able to catch Erestor before the events have started. Who knew what went on in excitable minstrels' heads anyway?

As though the clothes were not enough, Lindir insisted on doing Erestor’s hair as well. Ignoring the chief counsellor’s protests, he had pulled the braids out of Erestor’s hair and redid them in a way that let fall more hair than Erestor was accustomed to. It was a softer look, with silver ribbons intricately braided just from the side and coming together at the back of Erestor's head, the rest just flowing down in subtle waves behind his back. 

Really, it was a style an age younger than his years, and was plainly too much. 

Lindir, however, clearly disagreed, for he had a much too wide a grin on his face and his bright eyes sparkled with their own light. “Oh, he will be so happy!” exclaimed the minstrel the moment Erestor turned to him. 

“Who will?”

Lindir blinked at him for a moment, and then seemed to blanch at the question. Confused, Erestor raised a dark eyebrow at him. 

“Who, you ask?” cried the Sinda, suddenly gaining even more energy. Erestor did not know that was even possible. “Why, Eru Himself, of course! For this is my good deed for the day, helping a dear but hopeless friend get ready for this very special night. You may thank me now, Chief Counsellor.”

Erestor gave him a look, entirely unimpressed, but he knew to pick his battles. “Thank you, Lindir,” he said blandly and without inflection. 

If Lindir felt offense at the considerable lack of enthusiasm from his beneficiary, he showed no signs of it. He was still all smiles as he finally allowed Erestor to leave his rooms again, and even walked together with him towards the dining halls. 

Yule in Imladris was a festive occasion. Then again, every occasion seemed to be embraced by everyone in the valley, which Erestor thought with much fondess. Truly resilient were these Elves who had seen and lost so much in the last age after the war, but the decision to remain in Middle-Earth seemed to be done with conviction, for they sought happiness whenever there were opportunities to do so. 

The whole house was donned with colourful decorations. Candles were lit at every corner, and things like winter fruits and berries hung with ribbons and fresh pine leaves from walls and pillars, enough so that the whole place had the faint scent of winter woods. Songs were all around them in a way Erestor imagined filled every nook and corner of the valley, allowing no one any escape from the festivities. 

The dining hall saw no less attention, and save for the Hall of Fire, this was perhaps the one room in the house that saw most of the activities. Elves flitted in and out of the place, likely to check what food was already available so near to dinner time. In the far end of the room was a roaring fire to which Erestor went, for with the doors open yet, chill winds still entered the dining hall. 

Lindir had disappeared sometime in the chaos, likely pulled by his fellow minstrels, so that Erestor stood on his own for a while. He watched as Elves began to fill the room, until such time that it even felt considerably warmer, and of course much noisier. It was, however, the one time in the year that he could perhaps tolerate such commotion, and so he remained in his place, gaze looking about for more familiar faces, even smiling and greeting people in return when they passed him. 

If he was being perfectly honest, there was one face in particular that he was looking for. Yet for all his vigilance, that Elf still managed to find him first, and so Erestor nearly jumped when a low voice greeted in his ear, “Happy Yule, Erestor.”

He quickly turned around, and sure enough, there stood Glorfindel. Already attempting to calm the frantic beating in his chest brought simply by the other Elf’s presence, Erestor had to take a moment to withstand the brightness of the other’s smile. This sort of reaction was getting more and more of a problem nowadays whenever he saw Glorfindel. 

“Happy Yule, Captain,” Erestor thankfully managed to say. 

A golden eyebrow rose at the admittedly subdued greeting. Glorfindel chuckled in amusement. “Did I frighten you? Please look more happy to see me.” 

Oh, Erestor was happy. Happy and distressed, both in equal parts, for his good friend stood before him a devastating, beautiful thing that shone brighter than even the festive lights around them. Glorfindel on a normal day was good enough as it was, but him putting an effort was an unhealthy phenomenon not only for Erestor, but perhaps more than half the valley. 

Tonight, the captain wore robes of a deep evergreen. It set an interesting backdrop to his fiery golden hair that looked so at home in the firelight, and the warmth of those waves did much to bring out a healthy flush to an already handsome face. Blue eyes were turned to Erestor, and they twinkled like clear sapphire amidst a sea of gold. 

“That is what you get for rudely surprising people who are enjoying a moment of peace,” Erestor forced himself to say in a tone of mock reproach. It was the best he could come up with given the circumstances. Later, he should probably thank Lindir, for he would have looked sorry indeed were he to stand beside Glorfindel like this in the more subdued attire he had picked for himself earlier that evening. 

Glorfindel, in turn, just laughed again, his voice full and filling Erestor’s ears. “Peace? Here?” He gestured at the madness around them. “How is that even possible this time of year?” 

Never really one to truly maintain any sort of ill regard towards Glorfindel, Erestor allowed a smile and merely shook his head. He looked to the larger room again – partly to check the progress, partly to escape Glorfindel’s overwhelming gaze – and found that Elrond had also arrived and was already seated at the head table. 

With their lord present and undoubtedly about to start the festivities, Erestor made to move towards the front. A hand on his arm, however, stopped him in his tracks. 

“Erestor,” called Glorfindel, and he pulled Erestor so he would turn to him. Once the other faced him again, the captain went on to say, "May I sit with you at dinner?"

Erestor tilted his head at him. That was not an alien setup to them both, actually, and so he wondered at the curious tone and the nearly apprehensive way the other asked. “Of course,” he said simply, for he saw no problem with it at all. 

That was how they ended up seated with Erestor beside Elrond and Glorfindel to his other side. On the table before them was a scrumptious spread of various things: at least two kinds of roasts, meat pies, baked fish in herbs, roasted vegetables, soup, and an assortment of sweet things – honey cakes, pudding and fruit breads. Many of them were Erestor's favourites, and he counted himself fortunate that these dishes made it to this year's menu.

“Thank you for your help in the kitchens this year, Glorfindel,” said Elrond from beside Erestor as Elves from all over the room began to tuck in. "Dinner looks splendid." 

“I enjoyed myself, my lord,” said Glorfindel. “Thank you for granting me my request. The head cook probably would not have allowed it without your recommendation.”

Elrond laughed at this. “Nonsense. She was actually so excited when I told her you would be helping them out, I thought the poor thing would faint.”

Erestor, meanwhile, heard the conversation and turned, surprised, at Glorfindel. “You made these?” 

Glorfindel turned his attention to Erestor again and smiled, though he did look somewhat bashful, if that was possible for one such as he. “Not all of them, of course, and the head cook still had the final say. But I had ideas about what to serve tonight, and forwarded a few suggestions and worked on a few things with other people. Here, I believe you will like this one.”

He pulled a beautiful plate of pork crown roast that Erestor had been eyeing earlier, for it looked inviting and perfectly cooked in its bed of berries and roasted apples. Without even a by your leave, Glorfindel sliced a generous piece and placed it on Erestor’s plate, even arranging it carefully so it looked pretty with all the vegetables that were already there. 

While Glorfindel was busy doing so (he had moved to another serving plate and was taking some for Erestor as well), Erestor caught Elrond hiding a smile behind his hand. The counsellor glared at his lord, even though he knew he must be blushing up to his ears. Elrond had, of course, long noticed Erestor’s growing regard for their golden-haired friend, and had never shied away from teasing Erestor about it, even going so far as to ridiculously suggest that he do something about it. 

Knowing he was at a disadvantage given the situation, however, Erestor just turned quickly away and looked back at his plate – which he realized were now filled with exactly the kinds of things he would have put there had there not been this bullish, forward Elf serving him. 

“Let me know what you think,” said Glorfindel, eyes flashing with barely contained excitement so that despite his embarrassment, Erestor could not help but be amused by him. He can be like a child sometimes. 

Deciding not to prolong the other’s misery, he lifted his fork to sample a bite… and immediately forgot his earlier discomfort. “Glorfindel!” he exclaimed, turning wide-eyed at the other. “These are wonderful! I did not even know you could cook, much less cook so well." 

Glorfindel's relief and joy seemed genuine, for his shoulders lifted as though he had been waiting in suspense. “You like them? I am glad.” 

“Indeed, Captain,” said Elrond, peering from Erestor’s other side. “Now that our Chief Counsellor is fed, perhaps you could get your own share so that you could pass some of those with the rest of us.”

It was said loud enough to be heard by the rest of their table, and so it was with giggling Elves and an embarrassed pair of senior counsellors that food was passed and shared around them. Many of their tablemates at least agreed with Erestor's earlier assessment and showered the captain with compliments on various dishes, which the other once again deflected by saying he was not the only one who worked on them. 

This was Erestor's problem with Glorfindel, he thought as he surreptitiously stole glances at his friend, closest to him save perhaps for Elrond. Glorfindel had taken to Erestor the moment he arrived, befriending him as soon as the formal air of Gil-galad’s court allowed its counsellors to choose their preferred company. It confused quite a few, not least of which Erestor himself, for he was hardly the kind of person who endeared himself to people. If anything, he could think of more names who stammered their words to him in fear than any who would speak fondly of him, and he had been used to this way of things for quite some time.

But Glorfindel was persistent, and was not deterred by Erestor's initial one-liners and cool responses. Their acquaintance started first with many questions – what was Middle-Earth like now, how fared the Elves in that age, did much change since the First Age – but soon did move to more intimate things. Glorfindel seemed curious about Erestor himself, and so it was not long before they discovered many shared interests, so that dinner moved on to evenings shared over games of chess, some wine, and occasionally, even walks along the vast halls of Lindon or in Imladris’ many gardens. 

Erestor had always been a solitary Elf, and so kept only but a few close friends. But Glorfindel was a force none of his knowledge of lore and his history had been able to prepare Erestor for. They did say that he was an Elf of incomparable charm, and that he was a favourite among the lords of the Gondolindrim was no great secret. Erestor discovered that their new captain was generous with his affections, thoughtful and sweet even to friends. Erestor should not have been so careless with his acceptance, but over the years, he admitted that he allowed himself to be spoiled by Glorfindel – tea and sweets brought to his office whenever the captain passed, treats from wherever in Eriador the other had had to travel, even compliments given his way whenever something about him pulled Glorfindel’s attention. 

As the years settled for them well into the Third Age, and with Glorfindel moving finally and permanently to Imladris, such things only grew much worse, and came more frequently.

Erestor was not the kind of Elf who wiled his time on silly things like infatuation or whatever passed for romance in those days. It therefore came as a shock to him the first time Elrond asked if he knew that he blushed up to the tips of his ears whenever Glorfindel was around. Erestor vehemently denied it, of course, but he could only do so for himself long enough before the signs were there, clear even for him to notice. His heartbeat undeniably quickened whenever the reborn lord approached, and he sometimes caught himself staring at the other in council when another was supposed to be speaking. 

Little things like that told Erestor that he might be in a little bit of trouble. Glorfindel's warm and affectionate ways was a force to be reckoned with, and the continued onslaught was not helping Erestor in the slightest. 

After dinner, they soon moved to the Hall of Fire, where Lindir and his fellow minstrels treated everyone to a concert of sorts, all songs fit for Yule. It was a loud, joyous affair, with many Elves even pairing off and sitting in one another's arms as they clapped along to the songs. 

Glorfindel stuck to Erestor the entire time, so much so that Erestor felt warm throughout the evening even without the need for thicker robes. Elrond found somewhere else to be, which left just the two of them sitting side by side on the steps around the Hall of Fire. Erestor tried not to feel too self-conscious with all the lovers around them. 

"A blessed and joyous Yule to all!" Lindir greeted the crowd as their latest song died down. “A good friend of mine made a request for love songs to also be played tonight. Surely no one minds this?”

Erestor looked around at this announcement and found that not only did the Elves around him not mind, but they seemed keen on this idea as well. A round of applause greeted this proposal, encouraging the minstrels, and Lindir, blast him, actually did lead the others to the first notes of a well-known ballad. 

Erestor had to exert actual effort not to groan as the room around him seemed to heave a collective sigh. Even Glorfindel beside him looked happy, for he was leaning forward toward the stage, the side of his thigh pressed hot and snuggly against Erestor's as though it was nothing, as though Erestor, for his part, was not busy trying to even out his breathing. The couples around them moved even closer to one another, and for the life of him, Erestor could not ignore them, nor could he quell the slight clenching of envy that settled in his chest at the sight. In his mind's eye, he could see himself and Glorfindel in a similar embrace, perhaps holding hands-- he quickly squashed that image and kicked it away for good measure.

He sighed, unhappily unlike the others around him. He truly needed to do something about this foolish infatuation, for otherwise he might end up doing something strange and embarrassing to them both. 

“Something bothering you?”

Erestor jumped again, and quickly turned to see attentive blue eyes looking his way. Glorfindel had that, too, the look as though one had his full attention. It was potent, and far too inconvenient given Erestor's state. “Pardon?” he asked, disoriented. 

“That frown, right there—” Glorfindel lightly poked at the line between Erestor’s brow “—best get rid of that, or else Lindir might take offense. You have been glaring at them for a while now.”

Erestor brushed that hand away, swallowing the lump that settled in his throat at Glorfindel's continued touching. “I was just wondering who the idiot was who requested love songs for Yule."

Glorfindel blinked, and frowned at him. “You... do not like them?”

"It is not that I do not, only that..." And here, Erestor sighed. Well, that was embarrassing, to be so caught up in his own worries that he would taint someone's good intention on this festive evening. “Nay, nevermind. I do reckon that people like things like this, and so perhaps best to leave them to it. Anyway, Lindir's songs still seem to fit the theme. At least he sings of winter."

Aiya, truly, he just sounded bitter. He had not meant to kill the mood, but now it seemed too late, for Glorfindel was looking more solemnly at the stage. 

"Enjoy the songs, Glorfindel," he insisted to the other, and even nudged him on the shoulder to make his point. "I know you like these things." 

He was not sure if that appeased the other, but Glorfindel at least, turned to the stage again and seemed to listen. He truly was a beautiful thing, thought Erestor as he looked at Glorfindel's profile in the light of the Halls. He had that classic chiseled look to him at every angle, surely an artist's dream, and it was just unfair how difficult it was to ignore such observations now that Erestor knew of his childish regard. 

So avidly was he watching the other that it once again came as a shock when that head turned to him, battering him once again with the force of Glorfindel's attention.

“Erestor,” the captain said. “If you would rather step out and you are not otherwise engaged, could you perhaps accompany me outside? There is something I wish to show you.”

Erestor frowned at the sudden invitation. “Outside? Right now, at this time of night?”

“Aye." Glorfindel's smile returned, and that was good at least, for Erestor was loath to ruin the evening for the other. "It is not far, and the Moon is bright and will light our way. But let us pass by my room first, for it is closer, and we need cloaks for our walk.”

It was not just about the cloaks though, Erestor thought to say, but Glorfindel had already taken his hand and was leading him out of the Hall. He truly was weak against him, especially when Glorfindel was like this. He was all light and excitement all about him, so that Erestor could not help but be curious about what he had in mind next. 

That was another thing about Glorfindel. He found joy in a lot of things, but the thing was that he seemed to prefer doing them with company. Given that he deemed Erestor to be his closest friend, he always invited the counsellor over any other more often than not, when opportunity and their schedules allowed it. Erestor could no longer count the many things the other had insisted they do — afternoon rides that bled through the night and became impromptu camping trips, volunteering for one thing or another that once had Erestor accidentally promising to harvest an entire field of barley, and even random snow fights done loudly and messily as though they were rowdy children. It was certainly the most undignified Erestor had ever been in all his long years, but for each one of those things, the most vivid memories were always Glorfindel's face laughing, against summer skies, in the autumn breeze, on winter nights. With such a thing given to him in return, Erestor found that dignity was not so high a price. 

When they reached Glorfindel's doors, the captain was quick to find cloaks for them both. He placed a handsome grey one over Erestor's shoulders, which fell at a perfect place around Erestor's ankles despite Glorfindel being taller than he was. He was about to remark on that, for he could not even remember Glorfindel owning a cloak like this one, but the moment he looked up, the other pulled the hood over Erestor's head and flashed him another one of those bright smiles that stopped the words in Erestor's mouth. 

He was then led out into one of the new wings, one Erestor thought was still under construction in certain areas. He was pleased to find that their progress was more advanced than he had expected, for much of the construction looked nearly done. The gardens, too, to which they seemed to be headed, looked even more so, and Erestor could tell that the gardeners had done an excellent job with them as always. The lamps were lit along the pathways as though the place welcomed visitors despite the hour, and by their light Erestor could see the young, snow-covered trees, the stone benches along the path, the line of snowdrops peeking through the evergreen. 

"We are near," said Glorfindel suddenly, shocking Erestor out of his rumination. "Oh, but wait. Erestor, close your eyes." 

Erestor blinked at him. "Excuse me?" 

But before he could protest, Glorfindel had already moved behind him. Warm hands — and _how_ , wondered Erestor, for they were outside in the middle of winter — covered his eyes, and as though that was not torture and pleasure enough, the warmth spread to Erestor's back where Glorfindel had sidled close. His next words tickled Erestor's ears, which felt much too warm despite the evening chill. "Trust me," said Glorfindel, voice low but still with that layer of playfulness that had Erestor picturing him speaking with a smile. "Be good, and no peeking."

The captain walked them a short way further down the path. As though to distract him from the discomfort of being unable to see, Glorfindel went on speaking. (Erestor wished he had not.) "You look good, by the way," he said, voice a deep rumble that Erestor felt on his back, but the thrill of it travelled down to his toes. "I have not seen these robes before." 

"Lindir insisted," Erestor told him, feeling slightly breathless at their closeness, the warmth of it all, that sweet voice in his ears. 

"Did he?" Glorfindel chuckled in a way that made Erestor shiver, and all Erestor could think about was that he sincerely hoped Glorfindel did not notice. "Good for him. Our chief minstrel has always had good taste."

Should the Valar ever be interested in the foolish things Elves got up to in times of peace, Erestor could swear they must be laughing at him now. With Glorfindel so close, the perfume on his hair even permeating the chill evening air around Erestor, it was all he could do to keep one foot moving after the other. That he did not trip was a wonder, for every breath that Glorfindel took seemed to be done intentionally to undo him, so that by the time the captain let him go, Erestor was already so weak-kneed he could barely stand. 

But that high was not even the extent of it, for in the moment that Glorfindel allowed him to open his eyes, Erestor gasped his surprise at what he saw before him. 

This garden was to be their largest one yet, but that was all he knew about it. The plans, apparently, included a pond in the middle of the garden, right where two fully grown pine trees stood side by side. Water seeped through stacked rocks at the far end near the trees and flowed to the pond in a makeshift waterfall, the sounds of it instantly calming. All around them things were still covered in snow, but Erestor could see the green leaves of bushes and flower beds underneath that blanket of white. But most amazing to him was the dotting of golden light that peeked through it all, on the snow, on the dark green of the evergreens, and even on the calmer side of the pond where they mixed with the reflection of the stars. Erestor marvelled at that, for surely there were no fireflies active this time of year, and yet the effect of it was not unlike the garden being filled with hundreds of them merrily resting upon the newly planted leaves. 

From where they stood, he could not clearly tell what else was in that garden. But over in the distance was the silhouette of a gazebo with a domed roof, and he thought that at the far end there looked to be a bridge, and so perhaps there was the presence of another pond. Much work had clearly been done here, and he could not help but think about how pleased the people of the House would be once all of this was available for all of them to enjoy.

"Did you know that this was here?" asked Glorfindel. 

Erestor turned to him, his awe probably still clear on his face, but for once he did not mind being caught like that for the place surely deserved it. He shook his head at the other. "I knew something was being done, but this is nothing near what I had been expecting."

The captain's smile was bemused. "In a good way, I hope?"

"Oh, definitely."

“It is newly made,” Glorfindel further shared. “A project by a few of the gardener’s apprentices. I helped them on occasion, for the design actually takes after what we had back at the Golden Flower, the plans for which one of the young ones found in a book. It kept me busy, but it was fun." 

He seemed to have more to say, but he paused for a moment, as though he was picking out the words to say. When he looked up again, his eyes were affectionate and his smile was warm, despite that the cold had already put a visible flush on his cheeks. "Forgive me for pulling you out here, but I am rather proud of it, and wanted you to see it first before the others do. The young ones who made it were excited, too, and will be sharing it with everyone by tomorrow, I surmise, and so I expect there will be many Elves who would like to come during daytime. But it is a beautiful place, one I imagine is the kind of place you would have enjoyed in silence, if it was exclusively yours. I can only buy you one night, but I hope you enjoy it all the same." 

It was at that moment that snow began to fall, light and gently. Erestor's eyes lifted to the sky, and he held up a hand to touch a few of the snowflakes that fell. He noticed once again the perfect way his cloak wrapped around him, and somehow, after everything, he was even more sure now that the cloak was meant to be his. It was just Glorfindel's way to make him wear it so that he could not decline a gift of such handsome and clearly expensive make, and especially when Erestor's heart was already so full with this gift of the garden, which truly was more than enough.

It was exactly just as Glorfindel said, too, for he knew Erestor well. This was just the kind of thing that Erestor liked. With the world around them filled still with the faint music of the songs from the Hall of Fire, it all just seemed magical -- the gently falling snow, the mysterious lights, the calming sound of running water from the pond, the evergreens that were alive and thriving even surrounded in ice. It was beautiful, and so thoughtfully done for his sake, so that in that perfect moment, after everything that he had endured that night, Erestor found himself turning. 

"I am in love with you," he blurted out. 

He was equal parts relieved and horrified, but he was not yet even done, for he found himself stammering and repeating, "I am in love with you." His eyes lowered to the ground as his resolve finally caved. "Forgive me, but I do. We are friends, I know, but how can I not love you when you are like this? You are wonderful and thoughtful, and have been so good to me all these years. I did not mean to, and I hope that after this, you will forget all the foolish things that I am saying, but at least for now, let me tell you once and for all..." He tried to look up but failed, and succeeded only in looking at Glorfindel's snow-dusted boots as he swallowed to clear his suddenly dry throat. "I love you, Glorfindel. I have for quite some time."

Silence met this declaration. Somewhere in the darkness, an owl hooted, mindless of the drama unfolding below him. The other Elves went on singing, the snow kept falling, but Erestor could not enjoy them anymore as the weight of what he had done began to sink in.

"What..." eventually came Glorfindel's voice, which had taken on a pinched quality Erestor had never heard before. "Are you-- oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Erestor felt his heart turn cold at the words, even though they really did not surprise him. His chin sank further down so that his face was nearly hidden from within his hood – ah, he supposed he ought to return it soon – and he took a step back. 

"Of course," he said weakly, just above a whisper. "Truly, I apologise. I..."

Words failed him though with the weight of embarrassment and the pain of an albeit expected rejection. He therefore knew nothing wiser to do but to step away and leave, and so he turned to make his way back down the path from which they came.

"No, Erestor, wait!"

For the second time that evening, Erestor felt his arm pulled back, but he resisted the turn this time around, unable to look at Glorfindel. When that did not work, Glorfindel himself stepped around to stand in front of Erestor, and he held the other by the arms. 

"Forgive me, you misunderstand." 

Suddenly, without warning, Erestor found himself in a warm embrace, his face pressed against Glorfindel's shoulder as strong arms wrapped tightly around him. Shocked once again by it all, he could do nothing but stand tense and still, but that did not seem to matter, for Glorfindel went on speaking. 

"Why do you think..." He began before trailing off. Erestor felt the other shake his head, felt the tremors of his laughter before he even heard it in the other's voice. "What do you think all this was? Why would I invite you out here?"

Erestor frowned at the question. "To... see the garden?" 

"Yes, and?"

"To... perhaps share the stars, like we often do." 

Glorfindel laughed again. "Yes, the stars, the moonlight, the perfectly set gardens. The spread at dinner, the request for love songs, and even, I believe, Lindir coming to check on you earlier, for that fool never could help but dress people for special occasions."

"The one who requested the songs was you? Why? And I did wonder at the elaborate spread at dinner, not to mention that many of them were things that I--" And then, it clicked for him. He was sure, too, that Glorfindel's 'special occasion' was referring to more than Yule. "Oh." 

Glorfindel pulled back, and the look he gave Erestor was fond. " _Oh,_ indeed. Erestor, only you..." He laughed and shook his head again. "I would have wanted to have dinner with you, just the two of us, but I figured you might have wanted to share the evening with friends and people you consider family. So I thought I should just make sure it was made for you instead, with all the things you like.

"Do you have any idea how long I have been planning this? How I would do this, what to say to you... do you know how many people I asked? How I made sure no one would disturb us here, the teasing I had to endure from the Elves I worked with to get everything done by tonight. And yet you ruin things by beating me to it!" 

Erestor hesitated, stunned by all of that the other said. "B-Beat you to what?" 

"I love you, you ridiculous thing," Glorfindel declared, but his gaze was soft as he held Erestor's face between his hands. "You are as beautiful and precious to me as the stars. I wanted to get to know you the moment I saw you. I have never felt like that before, but never have I been more satisfied by acting after an urge, for you proved to be the most fascinating Elf I have ever known.

"I regret that it took this long for me to tell you my intentions, but so much happened in the past years and the last age that our duties kept us occupied. I did not wish to give you a mere half-hearted offer of love, with nothing to show for it once the words have been said. It is only now that we have all settled down that I thought to finally pursue it, to ask you finally, if you also agree, that this, what we have, to you also seems good and promising. For even though you, my friend, are cold like winter, or at least outwardly so, close to you I have never felt warmer. You are the home I have found once again here in Middle-Earth, and now I hope to truly call you that, if you would allow it, out loud finally and as often as I utter it in the quiet of my mind."

As though all that was not all overwhelming enough, Glorfindel lifted one of Erestor's hands and pressed his lips against the palm. Erestor's fingers curled at the tingling that soft kiss left on his skin; Glorfindel's sparkling eyes, when they looked at him, told him that his reaction did not go unnoticed. 

Erestor marvelled at the heart's resilience, going on and not failing despite the frantic, nearly violent way that his own was drumming against his chest. But amidst his own distress, he still was able to look up at Glorfindel, whom he knew well enough so that he recognised the look in those otherwise confident eyes. 

He blinked. "You... actually practised that."

Glorfindel opened his mouth as though to speak, stopped, and then rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air. "By the Valar, yes! Yes, I did, you horrible Elf."

Slowly, all of it began to sink in. "And all of this..."

"Was me setting up to finally confess and say those exact words to you, yes."

It was... the most ridiculous and awkwardly horrible way for a carefully romantic plan to go. Hearing it all laid out now, and despite his nerves (or perhaps because of them), Erestor could not help himself; he suddenly burst out laughing. "Glorfindel, I am so sorry." 

Glorfindel looked at Erestor a moment longer, and then he covered his face and threw his head back in obvious frustration. "Argh, Erestor. Lindir and Elrond are going to laugh at me for _centuries_!"

"Those two... I take it they asked you to tell how this would go?"

"Of course, they did. Them and everyone else. You know how they are. It is horrid that so many know. What if you did not accept... although they assured me you would. Oh, by the Valar, I probably went about this too confidently--" 

Erestor stepped closer to him and cupped Glorfindel's cheeks with both hands, effectively ceasing the other's words. "It turned out well in the end," he said in an attempt to appease. "All the same, forgive me, for I realise now how much work must have been put into this. Please, let me make it up to you." 

It was pleasing, the way Glorfindel's eyes drifted closed when their faces moved closer, close enough so their breaths intermingled visibly in the chill air. 

"How can I make this next moment perfect for you?" Erestor went on to ask, the words whispered now in that small space between them.

"Kiss me now and it will be," said Glorfindel with finality, but the urgency there made Erestor chuckle.

"You are indeed getting that. I was asking how you want your kiss."

"Elbereth, how ever you want it. Just please kiss me." 

In the end, ever the more impatient one between the two of them once something was already there to be had, it was Glofindel who swooped in to take the kiss. The kiss he intended was a passionate one, it turned out, but that was well and good, for the thrilling heat of his presence had been bothering Erestor for all of that entire evening. And so it was with equal ardour that he met the other's advances, the heat of him exquisite as their lips parted at the same time, hungry for more. 

Around them the snow kept falling, the songs went on being sung, and the winds even joined the fray. But both Elves were warm in the fire brought by that kiss, and it went on for some time for both was loath to let go. 

It was Erestor who eventually did, when he could no longer contain the need to breathe more air than Glorfindel was allowing him to get. But Glorfindel pulled him back so their bodies were flush against one another from shoulder all the way down; he even pressed their foreheads together for good measure, his breaths also coming fast and shallow.

"This is not exactly how I pictured this evening to go," he said, not a little breathlessly, "but this is... this is good."

Erestor's lips twitched at the comment even though he himself was nearly gasping in his inhales. "What else did you have planned?" 

Glorfindel seemed to grow shy again, the way he bit his lip in thought endearing and tempting. Erestor resisted for only but a moment, and anyway, Glorfindel's surprised moan as they kissed for a second time was worth the initial apprehension.

"I have... something." The flush on Glorfindel's cheek when they parted again was brighter. "A gift, you could say, although even now I do not know if I should give it to you."

Erestor waited, but it did not seem as if the other was moving to give him anything any time soon. "So you are not giving it, then?" 

Glorfindel met his eyes again and sighed in mock disapproval. "Really, you are so..." But he trailed off and shook his head. "You know what? Nevermind. Here."

He pulled back and put between them some space, but that was apparently so he could reach within his own cloak and take something that hung around his neck. And for the nth time that night, Erestor's eyes widened in surprise, for as Glorfindel lifted his hand to reveal what he had, there fell in front of Erestor's eyes a thin chain where two identical silver rings hung.

"You ought to know by now that whatever I offer to you, I offer wholly and with everything that I have in myself to give," said Glorfindel, voice solemn and with his breath fogging the air between them. "Erestor, ever have you inspired such regard from me. After many nights of long introspection, if I am to be truly honest, this is what I want to give you, and what I want from you." 

Silver rings, of course, meant nothing less than an engagement. Erestor could not wrap his mind around it -- at least, he _could_ see himself with Glorfindel, definitely, for he had longed and dreamt of such all this time, but that it truly was happening, for it to even be Glorfindel offering it...

"Erestor." Glorfindel's voice this time sounded rather tight. "Please say something. Take them or throw them back at my face, _anything_ , but please do it before my hand starts shaking. You have embarrassed me enough for one evening, dearest one, don't you think?"

Erestor's eyes lifted at the endearment, but in the end he did bring up his hand. He thought he heard Glorfindel exhale in relief as the rings were placed on Erestor's palm. He stared at them for a moment more, touching them carefully and not without some measure of awe and disbelief, before pulling them out of the chain. 

"We can wear them whenever you are ready," Glorfindel was quick to add. "Silver rings this early do seem a bit much come to think of it, and so if you would like us to... I don't know, work toward something, get to know one another better--"

"You should have thought of that before giving it," chided Erestor, effectively cutting off the other's nervous babbling. He smiled, however, before Glorfindel could protest. "Fortunately, I have known you for a long time, and so a part of me is not even surprised that you went ahead and jumped to this. And given all your curious questioning and all the times we spent together at your insistence, I doubt there is any Elf who knows me now better than you do."

Erestor took one of the rings, and taking a page out of Glorfindel's book, did not ask for permission and just pulled the other's right hand to himself. He carefully placed the ring around the other's finger, snuggly fitting it there, before then looking up to offer his own hand in turn. 

He was pleased to find that this time, it was he who was met with awed and sparkling blue. 

Glorfindel's hands did, in fact, tremble as he placed the other ring on Erestor's finger. Erestor chose not to call him on it though, for it somehow seemed wrong to break the quiet of the evening, and anyway, he was not completely immune, for as it was he had to keep his other hand in a fist to keep it from shaking, too. 

When that was done, Glorfindel released a great breath. He wrapped his arms around Erestor again and buried his face on the other's shoulder.

"You will be the death of me," he said, the words muffled by Erestor's grey cloak. "Clueless, but then so wonderfully _game_ to it all once convinced, if all my earlier invitations and everything about this evening were to be judged." 

"Am I?" Not quite sure if what was said of him was meant to compliment or offend, Erestor just opted to pulling Glorfindel's head once again to him and inviting him in for another kiss. 

"Valar, yes." Glorfindel pressed them close together, good and tight, and after a good, long kiss, he continued to pepper Erestor's lips and cheeks with kisses, speaking in between. "But I love it. I love _you_." Another kiss, tender and sweet, with his thumb brushing fondly at Erestor's cheek. "Happy Yule, my darling. I look forward to many more spent together with you." 

Erestor smiled, and there in the moonlight and the golden lights and the green things that thrived in winter, embraced him tight.

\- fin -

**Author's Note:**

> Since this is my first year as a Secret Santa, I aimed for a short thing with just that one winter scene. Trust Glorfindel to be so effing _extra_ and turn it all into some elaborate proposal. OtL


End file.
